OCTA To Overhaul County Bus System Beginning October

In order to address falling ridership, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) will be modifying current O.C. bus routes as soon as October.

Following public input, transportation authority officials have revised the draft service plan that was presented in June. Using community recommendations along with technical analysis of existing routes, the final plan hopes to improve public transportation throughout the county.

Dubbed OC Bus 360º, OCTA’s project will adjust service to meet demand. Riders can expect to see new routes and improved services, but may also see their stops close. OCTA’s goal is to increase ridership by optimizing the efficiency of Orange County’s bus services.

The cutbacks will be made in order to reallocate limited resources to more traveled routes. Weekend services will be enhanced and extended based on popularity.

The proposed October 2019 bus service plan will affect Routes 26 and 213. February 2020 will see changes to routes such as 21, 24, 60, 129, 143, 153 and 560.

October transitions will include adding an additional morning trip on Route 79 on weekdays to address passenger need at UCI.

Extensions will also be seen — Route 26 will stretch to Yorba Linda Boulevard and Imperial Highway and Route 59 trips will include The District on weekdays.

OCTA plans to eliminate Route 211 due to low weekday ridership, with two scheduled trips on Route 206 being canceled as well.

Riders on Route 54 can look forward to extended trips to Chapman Avenue and Valley View Street starting February 2020.

Next year will also see the elimination of Routes 21 and 24, to be replaced by Route 123. This new route will cover most of the discontinued stops.

Routes will also be affected by construction planned for October 2019 through early 2022. Stops and schedules will be adjusted and added between Santa Ana and Garden Grove in order to accommodate this construction.

Overall, OCTA’s plan includes 14 changes to the O.C. bus system. With ridership the lowest it has been in years, transportation officials hope that this overhaul of the bus system will increase public use.